TORONTO – Elly De La Cruz keeps making headlines as he breaks records with each sprint.

On Wednesday, the All-Star shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds became the seventh player in MLB history to steal 60 bases in a season. He accomplished this by beating a thrown ball to third base during the top of the fifth inning against the Blue Jays in Toronto. After stealing third, he scored the tying run on a ground ball hit to the infield, sliding safely past the tag attempt.

Before this, De La Cruz had a personal record of going 11 straight games without a stolen base.

The record for most steals in a season by a shortstop belongs to Maury Wills with 104 in 1962, while Hall of Famer Honus Wagner is also notable for his 61 steals back in 1907.

“Each week, it seems like he’s doing something that hasn’t happened in a century,” said teammate Nick Lodolo. “He’s simply amazing.”

Moreover, De La Cruz is now among the elite group of only five players in MLB history to hit 20 home runs and steal 60 bases in the same season, becoming just the second to do so since 1990, following Ronald Acuña Jr. last year.

The exclusive 20-60 club features two other Reds:

• Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds, 2024 – 21 homers, 60 steals (with 36 games remaining)
• Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves, 2023 – 41 homers, 73 steals
• Rickey Henderson, Oakland A’s, 1990 – 28 homers, 65 steals
• Eric Davis, Cincinnati Reds, 1986 – 27 homers, 80 steals
• Rickey Henderson, New York Yankees, 1986 – 28 homers, 87 steals
• Rickey Henderson, New York Yankees, 1985 – 24 homers, 80 steals
• Joe Morgan, Cincinnati Reds, 1976 – 27 homers, 60 steals.
• Joe Morgan, Cincinnati Reds, 1973 – 26 homers, 67 steals

With his milestone stolen base coming in the Reds’ 127th match, De La Cruz is poised to achieve a remarkable 77 stolen bases this season.

Only Wills and Jose Reyes (78 in 2007) have matched or surpassed this spectacular number of steals among shortstops in a season.

When asked about his potential number of steals this year, De La Cruz replied, “I’m just enjoying myself and focusing on winning.”

Besides Wills and Reyes, the only other shortstop to steal 70 bases in a season was Frank Tavares of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1977.

Here’s the complete record of 60-steal seasons by shortstops:

• 104 — Maury Wills, Dodgers, 1962
• 94 — Maury Wills, Dodgers, 1965
• 78 — Jose Reyes, Mets, 2007
• 70 — Frank Tavares, Pirates, 1977
• 64 — Jose Reyes, Mets, 2006
• 62 — Bert Campaneris, A’s, 1968
• 62 — Bert Campaneris, A’s, 1969
• 62 — Jonathan Villar, Brewers, 2016
• 61 — Honus Wagner, Pirates, 1907
• 60 — Jose Reyes, Mets, 2005
• 60* — Elly De La Cruz, Reds, 2024

*-On track for 77.